The international scientific conference Sustainable Development XVII: Security Without Borders, organized by the University of European and Regional Studies in České Budějovice, took place from October 14 to 16, 2026. The conference was held under the auspices of the European Parliament, the governor of the South Bohemian Region Martin Kuba, and the mayor of the statutory city of České Budějovice Dagmar Škodová Parmová. This was the 17th edition of the conference, focusing on current security challenges and their connections to sustainable development. Expert attention was concentrated on geopolitical threats, cybersecurity, digitalization, disinformation, energy and economic security, crisis management, and population protection. Discussed thematic areas also included crime prevention, hybrid threats, critical infrastructure protection, and the role of public administration in strengthening the resilience of states and regions.
After welcoming the participants and introductory speeches, a plenary session followed, after which three blocks of lectures focused primarily on the internal and external security of the European Union took place. Speakers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, and Georgia addressed current security threats, risks, and challenges faced by the European Union and its member states in the areas of security, defense, and citizen protection.
At the personal invitation of the conference organizers, Assoc. Prof. Ing. Radoslav Ivančík, PhD. et PhD., MBA, MSc., from the Department of Philosophy and Political Science at UKF in Nitra, also spoke during the plenary session. In his contribution titled Security and Defense of the European Union in Conditions of Strategic Uncertainty and Global Changes, he analyzed initiatives and tools aimed at strengthening European security and defense in the context of fundamental geopolitical changes, increasing great power rivalry, and deepening strategic uncertainty. Assoc. Prof. Ivančík pointed out that recent events have fundamentally disrupted the European security order and have become an impetus for strengthening the strategic autonomy of the European Union, modernizing the armed forces of member states, and developing the technological and industrial base through various tools and initiatives. He emphasized that achieving a higher level of European security and defense will depend primarily on the ability of member states to overcome persistent particular interests and create a unified strategic framework.
The aim of the conference was to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge and professional experience and to seek solutions to current security risks at both national and international levels. The event also created space for interdisciplinary cooperation and linking security issues with economic, social, and regional development. The participation of a representative from FF UKF in Nitra thus contributed to the presentation of the faculty’s expertise in the field of European security and defense at an international scientific forum.
Text: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Radoslav Ivančík, PhD. et PhD., MBA, MSc., FF – Department of Philosophy and Political Science
Photo: archive of Radoslav Ivančík